Cut-nail machine



V 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. P. SHERWOOD. 4

Making Nails.

Patented Aug; 2613851.

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Patented Aug. 26, I851.

Making Nails.

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srarns PATENT ornion.

JOHN P. SHERWOOD, OF FORT EDWARD, NEW YORK.

GUT-NAIL MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 8,326, dated August 26, 1851.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J OHN P. SHERWOOD, ofFort Edward, in the county of Washington and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for CuttingNails, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part ofthis specification, and in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevationof my cut nail machine. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is avertical longitudinal section, and Fig. l is a plan of a fragmentaryportion of the machine. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sect-ion throughone of the knife stocks. Fig. 6 is a face view of one of the knifestocks, and Fig. 7 is an end view of one of the gripping tongs and theparts connected therewith.

My cut nail machine is constructed to cut, grip, head, and deliver nailsautomatically.

The object of the first part of my invention is to dispense with thenecessity of turning the cut nail blank one quarter of a revolutionbefore submitting it to the gripping dies and it consists ofreciprocating gripping tongs which open and close in a direc tionperpendicular to the face of the nail plate and which advance upon thenail blank, grips it and draw it endwise from the position in which itis placed by the action of the knives.

The object of the second part of my invention is to equalize the strainupon a machine in which several nail blanks are cut by one stroke of thesame knife stock, and it consists in arranging the knives and operatingthe knife stock in such manner that the nail blanks are cut insuccession as the moving knives approach the stationary ones.

The third part of my invention relates-to the relative movements andpositions of the gripping dies and heading tool, and it consists inarranging the latter to move within a pair of jaws which constitute thegripping dies the whole being so arranged that the nail blank is headedirrespective of the movement of the gripping dies, and the last part ofmy invention consists of a double acting reciprocating gripping andheading carriage, furnished at each of its extremities with sets ofgripping and heading apparatus which act alternately and in connectionwith two sets of severing knives, whereby much time is saved as a nailis formed at each single stroke of the gripping and heading carriage.

The several acting members of my machine'as represented in theaccompanying drawings are all secured to a strong bed frame A, to thelower side of which two pillow blocks B are secured to support thedriving shaft C, to which power is imparted either through theintervention ofa belt and belt pulleys or by meansof some otherconvenient and suitable mechanical device. Pairs of pillow blockstandards B, B, B, are erected upon the opposite sides of the bed plateto support the journals of three transverse crank shafts D, D, D, one ofwhich is immediately above the driving shaft C, and the other two aresituated at equal distances on each side thereof. The central crankshaft D is put in motion by the driving shaft through the interventionof a toothed pinion E and wheel F secured to the respective shafts, thelateral crank shafts D, D, are caused to revolve, simultaneously withthe central one D and in the same direction, by means of three equal cogwheels E, E, E, secured to the respective shafts D, D, D, and of twointermediate wheels F, F, which are of half the diame ter of those onthe crank shafts and are secured to two intermediate shafts G, G, whosejournals are supported in suitable boxes se cured to two frames H H.These frames are firmly secured to the bed frame at points intermediatebetween the crank shafts; they support the cutting apparatus by means ofwhich the nail blanks are severed from the nail plates, while the crankshafts give motion to the carriages which carry the gripping and headingapparatus.

The cutting apparatus, connected with each cutter frame H, is composedof four stationary and four moving knives. The former, a, a, arearranged in pairs upon opposite sides of a socket M which guides thelower extremity of a reciprocating knife stock J, to which the fourmoving knives 5, Z), are secured. The upper extremity of the knife stockis guided by the blocks 0, 0, which are secured to the standards of theframe, and it is fitted with springs which tend to hold it to itshighest position. This knife stock is depressed at the proper moment, tocut the nail-blanks by means of a double graded cam K which is securedto the shaft, and acts upon a shoe 6 secured to the upper extremity ofthe knife stock. It is raised whenever the cam in its rotation passesthe shoe 6, by means of two springs which are projected in oppositedirections from the crossbars of the cutter frame The stationary knivesof each pair are beveled in opposite directions as shown at Fig. l, andthe corresponding pair of movable knives are also beveled as shown atFig. 6. The pair of stationary knives upon one side of the machine areplaced a little below the opposite pair so that the movable knivescorresponding with the former shall not act until the movable knivescorresponding with the latter have finished their work. The lowerextremity of the knife stock, or that portion of it which extends belowthe movable knives and orks in the socket of the bed frame, is beveledin a direction the reverse of that of the stationary knives, and issituated at such a distance from their edges that the space includedbetween each of the latter and the adjacent face of the knife stock,when the latter is at its highest position, has the same breadth andtaper as that of the nail blank to be cut.

The upper edges of the socket in which the lower extremity of the knifestock works,

formed in the middle of the carriage.

form rests 0, 0, upon which the nail blanks severed by the knives aredelivered by the downward movement of the knife stock, and from whichthey are drawn endwise by the action of the reciprocating gripping andheading apparatus. Each cutter frame has two double sets of gripping andheading apparatus appertaining to it, one of which is moved to and froat each of its sides. In the present machine there are two cutter framesand four sets of gripping and heading apparatus; the two sets which aresituated between the adjacent sides of the cutter frames are attached tothe same carriage L, which is arranged to slide upon ways secured to thebed frame of the machine, and is moved to and fro between the two cutterframes by the crank wrist of the central crank shaft, D, which passesthrough and works in a rectangular socket The sets of gripping and'heading apparatus which are situated at the outer sides of the cutterframes are attached to separate carriages L, L, which are also arrangedto slide upon ways like those of the central one, and are moved towardand from the sides of their respective cutter frames by the crank wristsof the outer two crank shafts D and D, which work in rectangular socketsformed at the middles of their 'respective carriages.

Each double set of gripping and heading apparatus consists of a pair ofgripping jaws and two heading punches, the gripping jaws or tongsconsist ,of two aws f and g,

the lower, f, of which is fixed to the carriage while the upperterminates in a shank 7a, which 1s plvoted to the carriage and 1ssituated 1n a socket formed therem by means of which it is guided inopening and closing. The pivot (f the upper jaw is horizontal so thatthis aw rises from the lower in opening and IS depressed toward it inclosing; the upper jaw is pressed away from the lower by a spring whichacts upon the under side of its shank and tends to keep it raised. Theupper jaw is depressed upon the lower by means of a pair of bevel-endedlevers j, j, which are pivoted to the carriage, and whose hinderextremities are connected by link bars 7c, is, with sliding frames, Nand N, situated at opposite sides of their respective carriages. Each ofthese frames is slotted near its lower edge to traverse upon guide-pinssecured to the bed frame, and each is carried along with the carriage inits movement until the proper moment arrives for gripping the nailblanks, at which time the frames are moved independently of theirrespective carriages by pins, which at one side of the machine, aresecured to and revolve with the adjacent faces of the crank shaftcogwheels, and at the other side of the machine are secured to the innerfaces of the wheel F upon the central crank shaft, and circular disks 0,0, upon the outer ones. The pins appertaining to the opposite slidingframes are exactly opposite each other so that the opposite frames aremoved simultaneously, and the interior peripheries of the frames are ofsuch form that the pins act to move them, when the carriage has arrivedat the end of its stroke in either direction. The movement of the framesmoves the le vers j, j, the pair at one extremity of the carriage beingmoved to depress their respective gripping jaw while those at the otherare simultaneously moved to allow theirs to open under the action of itsspring. The pin is in such a position with respect to the respectivecrank shaft that the movable gripping jaw at that extremity of thecarriage which is nearest its respective cutter frame is depressed whilethe other is allowed torise.

The adjacent faces of each pair of gripping jaws have two curved grooves2', 2', formed'in them, which correspond with each other, and are placedin such positions with respect to the rests 0, 0, upon which the nailblanks are delivered that a straight line drawn through the center ofthe latter passes through the center of the grooves. These grooves areof such depth that when the upper gripping jaw is closed upon the lower,the elliptical or oval space included between the two grooves is equalin depth with the thickness to which it is necessary to reduce a nailblank by gripping in order to hold it firmly during the action of theheading tool. The extremity of each pair of gripping tongs is at such adistance from the crank shaft of its carriage that when the latter 1smoved toward the cutting knives the jaws of the tongs will enter thecutter frame a suf' ficient distance, as shown in Fig. 3, to gr1p thenail blank lying on the rest- 0 at the proper distance from its head;and in order to permit the entrance of the gripping tongs the outerextremities of the rests and the corresponding portions of the lowerextremity of the knife stock are cut away.

The heading tools are arranged to work within the gripping tongs, thereis one for each pair of knives, each consists of a sliding bolt Z, whichslides longitudinally in a socket formed in the carriage; they areforced outward by means of cams n secured to the crank wrists, and arereturned in ward, when these cams by the revolution of the crank passtheir inner extremities, by means of springs m secured to the carriage.

The discharging apparatus consists of wedge formed plungers or pistonsP, one of which is constructed to slide vertically in guides on eachside of each cutter frame. These pistons are placed in such positionswith respect to the gripping tongs beneath them, that when the latterare at their farthest distances from the cutter frames the pistons indescending will clear the extremities of the gripping tongs. Thebreadths of the lower extremity of a discharging piston is a little lessthan the distance between the two sets of curved recesses in which thenail blanks are gripped, so that it can enter between them as it isdepressed, and can shove them laterally from the jaws of the grippingtongs. Each discharger is operated by a separate lever R, which ispivoted at its heel to the standard of the opposite cutter frame, or toa supplementary standard S erected upon the bed frame. Each is depressedat the proper moment to discharge the nails by means of a pin 1, whichis secured to the adjacent face of the crank shaft cog-wheel, and whichacts upon a snug r projected from the lever near its heel. Each lever israised to lift its discharger after the pin has ceased to act by meansof a spring 6, which maintains the discharger in a raised position untilthe pin again begins to act.

'As the cog wheels to which the pins are secured all revolve in the samedirection, while the levers project in different directions, some of thesnugs 011 which the pins act are projected above the pivots of theirlevers while others are projected below as shown in the drawings. As oneof these levers also crosses another it is necessary to bend one or bothto prevent them from coming in contact with each other. central leversmust also be grooved or other- The snugs of the two wise constructed topermit the pin which works each lever to revolve without affecting thesnug of the other lever.

In order to feed nailplates to this machine a traveling feeding carriageis applied to it. This carriage consists mainly of four spring feeders,one for each extremity of each cutter frame, which are connected bysuitable frame work. Each feeder is composed of a pair of grooved guidess, s, in which the nail plate is inserted and which are firmly securedto a standard T, together with a driver U by means of which the nailplate in the guide grooves is forced endwise through an aperture in theadjacent standard of the cutter frame and thence over the stationaryknives to the proper position for cutting. The driver is fitted to slidein the grooves of the guides and is connected by a link rod 1) with abar which is pivoted at its upper extremity to the upper end of thestandard T and is drawn toward the atter by a spring 00; the latteracting through the bar and link rod forces the driver inward and towardthe knives. The two feeders at each side of the machine are connected byside pieces 3/ g which are supported by rests 2, upon which they areconstructed to slide longitudinally so as to place each feeder in properpositions to feed the nail plate alternately to each adjacent pair ofknives. The side pieces of the feed carriage are connected by an uprightframe A which passes over the intermediate portions of the machine; andthe carriage is moved to and fro at proper intervals by means of a pin6, which is secured to the face of the cog wheel F, and in itsrevolution acts in alternate succession upon two standards, f and f, oneof which is projected above and the other below the horizontal linepassing through the axis of the central crank shaft to which thecog-wheel F is secured.

Vhen the machine is in operation the nail plates to be out are appliedendwise to the four feeders by an attendant who draws the driver outwardby hand, inserts the plate, and then allows the driver to bear againstthe outer end. As the nail plate is forced inward by the driver, it isprojected over the'stationary knife, with which the feeder is acting atthe time, and against the face of the moving knife on the knife stock;as the edge of the moving knife rises by the upward movement of theknife stock the extremity of the nail plate is driven beneath it, andstrikes the face of the lower portion of the knife stock whichthus actsas a gage to limit the breadth of the nail blank. The plate remains inthis position until the knife stock is depressed by the action of thecam above; by this depression the moving knife is forced down upon thenail plate,-and severs that portion of it which projects over the edgeof the stationary knife from the remainder. As the knife stock continuesto descend it forces the nail blanks, thus severed by the knives uponits opposite sides, downward, and delivers them upon the rests beneath.The knife stock is then raised by its springs which act as soon as thecam has passed the shoe at the upper extremity of the knife stock. Asthe knife stock rises the gripping tongs advance with their jaws open,and embrace the extremities of the nail blanks lying upon the rests. Assoon as the jaws have passed, the one above and the other beneath thenail blanks, the upper jaw is closed upon the lower by the movement ofthe levers j, j, which are operated by the pins working in the frames NN. By this operation the nail blanks are firmly gripped within. thegrooves of the jaws, and as the crank wrist continues to turn, the camssecured to it acting upon the heading tools force them endwise againstthe extremities of the nail blanks, which project within the inner edgesof the gripping jaws, and thus form the heads of the nails. As soon asthe cams pass the ends of the'heading tools the latter are moved inwardby the action of their respective springs and the carriage, with thefinished nails in its gripping tongs, is moved away from the cutterframe by the action of the crank wrist upon the rectangular aperture inwhich it moves. As the carriage finis ies its backward stroke the framesN, N, are moved by their pins to turn the levers j, j, and thus permitthe upper gripping jaw to rise under the action of the spring beneathit; as it rises from the lower jaw the discharging piston is depressedby the action of its appro priate driving pin upon the snug of itslever, as it is depressed its point enters between the two sets ofgripping grooves, and its wedge formedsides bearing against the inneredges of the nails project them laterally from the gripping tongs, thuscompleting the operation.

Each set of knives acts in connection with one set of gripping groovesand one heading tool; and one-pair of gripping tongs is advanced by itscarriage toward one side of each cutter frame as the other is drawn awayfrom the other side; the adjacent sets of knives therefore actalternately, and the knife stock is depressed to cut a nail blank justbefore each pair of gripping tongs advances. In order to feed the nailplate alternately to each adjacent set of knives, the feederappertaining to the two adjacent sets of knives on each side of theknife stock frame is made to vibrate from one to the other by themovement of the feeding carriage. The feeders, it will be perceived,present the nail plates to the knives in directions always perpendicularto the direction in which the carriage moves, and the knives are equallysloped or beveled in opposite directions to that perpendicular line inorder that they may cut the nail blank with the proper taper.

It. will be perceived that the central carriage has a gripping andheading apparatus at each of its extremities, which act alternately asit is moved alternately toward each cutter frame. By this arrangementmuch space is saved as one carriage is thereby enabled to do the work oftwo; much machinery is also saved as the frames N, N, and their drivingpins, together with the levers j, j, are constructed in such manner thatthe one set of gripping jaws is opening when the other is being closed.This arrangement also, by rendering the machine more compact, enablesthe attendant to supply nail plates to the feeders with greater ease.

It will be perceived that the gripping jaws open in a directionperpendicular to the face of the nail plate, and consequently it isnecessary to give them a longitudinal movement to draw them out of therange of the descending knife. But this arrangement of the jaws enablesme to grip the nail-blank sidewise without the necessity of turning itupon its edge, which operation is necessary in preceding machines wherethe gripping dies open in directions parallel with the face of the nailplate. It is well known that the mechanism for turning a nail blank uponedge before gripping it, requires an exceeding nice adjustment, and thedifliculty of keeping it in order is one of the principal causes of themisshapen nails which are so frequently made; the adjustment of thismechanism also requires great practical knowledge and experience on thepart of the workman, which is unnecessary in machines constructed uponthe plan I have described in which this turning mechanism is dispensedwith.

It will be perceived that each knife stock in descending cuts two nailblanks, one at each of its sides; by arranging the stationary knives atone side of the knife stock a little lower than those at the other, andby forming the cam with two grades or steps, the nail at one side of theknife stock is cut a little after that at the other, by which means thestrain upon the machinery is but half of what it would be if both nailswere cut at the same moment, and hence there is much less danger ofbreaking the machine, and a much less strain upon the driving belt orother mechanism which imparts motion to the machine from the primemover. It is obvious that this same result will be obtained by arrangingthe opposite stationary knives at the same height, and by setting themoving knives at different heights upon the knife stock, so that theedge of one of them shall pass its corresponding stationary knife beforethe other upon the opposite side of the knife stock begins to act; thisarrangement being the converse of the one described.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. In combination with knives or the equivalent thereof for cuttingblanks sidewise from nail plate I claim a traveling gripping and headingtongs or jaws open-v ing and closing in a direction perpendicular to theface of the nail plate and constructed and actuated substantially asherein set forth to grip the blank on its flat sides without thenecessity of turning it upon edge as is customary with nail machinesheretofore constructed, to draw it from beneath the knives, and'to holdit while being headed.

2. I claim the direct acting knife stock with knives secured to itsopposite sides in such positions with respect to the stationary knivesor to each other that the knife upon one side cuts after the knife uponthe opposite side, in combination with a 4. In combination with two setsof knives acting alternately to sever nail plates I claim areciprocating gripping and heading carriage which traveling to and frobetween the two sets of knives grips, heads, and delivers a nail at eachsingle stroke in alternate succession at its opposite extremities,whereby much time and labor are saved and the machinery to cut a givennumber of nails is condensed into a less space.

JOHN P. SHERWOOD.

Witnesses:

I. L. SMITH, E, S. RE WIQK,

